<p>Hey guys, if you have any questions about -anything- feel free to ask away! </p>
<p>I'm a psych major, just finished my finals, I was a spring admit, and I do research in Haas. I'm also in a fraternity.</p>
<p>All this said, if you guys want any info about research, academics, the social scene, Psychology, or in general questions, feel free to ask me.</p>
<p>Hey emil… Any tips/recommendations for an incoming Fall transfer student?..things you wish you knew before starting the semester off? I feel like I have so much to do, and I don’t want to miss any important steps.</p>
<p>Hey! Really good questions. Just don’t overload yourself with too many things. I think I jumped into too much right away; I tend to do that. Just keep everything in perspective, and do your best. Oh, and study REALLY hard. The tests here cover the most minute details for a lot of majors. Also, be aggressive with your professors. By this I mean go to Office Hours, challenge them for pts on a test when u think you’re right (I’ve done this so many times), and make friends in class. I’ve met a lot of my closest friends in my classes. </p>
<p>Plus, they’ll want to form study groups with you, which is nice because you guys can all work together to form a study guide. In the end, be social and open and hard-working. You’ll thrive.</p>
<p>Do you know people who commute? I live 30 minutes away from Berkeley so I know my parents will want me to stay home and commute. -_- I’m only concerned in regards to a social life lol since I basically have to start over now.</p>
<p>@ dezziner: My family lives in Burlingame, so I’m only a little over 30 mins away too. I live on-campus. However, my best friend here lives on and off campus. She goes home on the weekends, and stays here through the week. Tbh, although I don’t know that many ppl that commute, I feel like they seem detached with campus i.e. not in clubs, don’t hang too much, etc.</p>
<p>Is there a reason you won’t live on campus besides your parents wishes?</p>
<p>I’m a Spring admit too. How’s it going to affect your graduation? Will I have to graduate with the class of 2014?</p>
<p>How’s the housing situation for Spring transfer admits–is it hard to get? I seem to recall you live in Wada. Would you recommend it?</p>
<p>Sigh. I would totally LOVE to live on campus but I’m not getting that much aid. My parents “make too much” but I can’t afford it in reality. And they don’t understand the whole social life thing. </p>
<p>I’d totally get involved with things but I just feel like its going to be harder vs going to a community college where everyone commutes.</p>
<p>@ nick: I’ll be honest with you, I have to take summer classes (6 units/2 classes) to be at senior standing. It does put you behind. I left CCC with 68 completed UC-transferable units, and I did 16 this semester (which is a lot at Cal), and am now at 84. </p>
<p>I’m probably going to take 2 summer classes this semester to hit senior standing, but I’ll admit, it’s not the best idea to rush things. I wish I had taken 13 units instead; my GPA probably would have been higher. I’m probably looking at a 3.5-3.6.</p>
<p>All this said, if I take summer classes, I can be at senior standing and graduate with all the fall admits at the end of next spring, or I can take my time, stay an extra semester and graduate end of fall 2012. As for graduate schools, it helps if you stay for 4 semesters and accumulate more units/grades. </p>
<p>I think I’m going to do this: take 6 units over summer and hit official senior standing. This way I give myself the option of graduating on time or staying a 4th semester next fall. Either way, both are great options! </p>
<p>As for housing, I do live in Wada…which is awesome! Perfect balance of comfortable, nice, affordable, quiet, and social. There are occasionally parties (but they’re small), and for the most part, everyone is really academic and kind. I highly recommend it.</p>
<p>@ dezziner: Realistically, it’s going to be really hard to get involved if you’re commuting, but you can do it! :D. Just join clubs/orgs that interest you. There is so much to do at Cal, guys! It’s seriously unbelievable here. I know I sound corny or overly enthusiastic a lot about it, but I’m telling you this place has such a vitality and fervor. </p>
<p>@ nick: I would definitely take spring here over fall anywhere else. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Do you have any other concerns about spring admission or anything like that?</p>
<p>The big concern is what I do between now and then, haha. Hopefully I can get my contract renewed… We’ll see.</p>
<p>Housing isn’t guaranteed for spring admits. Did some spring admits who wanted it not get it? And, are the Wada rooms doubles or singles (the actual bedrooms)?</p>
<p>EMIL!!! i got in for fall :D</p>
<ol>
<li>Where do you recommend living? Wada? How difficult do you estimate it is to get a single? I deffs do want more of a “party” atmosphere…</li>
<li>Have you heard anything about how difficult History majors have it? I know psych majors have it tough - my friend who got in as a freshman is actually changing his major to Sociology cuz he says it’s easier? </li>
<li>How nice are the people generally? I know it’s kind of a silly, childish question…still I’m curious what you think.</li>
<li>If you could rate your entire experience so far, on a 1-10 scale, what would you rate it?</li>
</ol>
<p>I still have a bunch more questions! I just cant think of them right now awk -__- and thanks for doing this :D</p>
<p>Hey emil, I remember reading your posts a while back and saw you were a spring admit also. </p>
<p>What’d you do during the gap, are we required to go to school or can we just take a break/</p>
<p>Also grats nick_sheu, you looked like you worked hard. I was hoping you got into UCB, since you’ve seem really proactive on these forums.</p>
<p>I try to help. :-)</p>
<p>Off-topic: It’s funny, after learning all this about the admissions process, I’ve become somewhat interested in maybe doing it for a living, working for a college as a counselor or something. Does anyone know how much opportunity there is in the field, what sort of money they make, etc?</p>
<p>@ redo: Dude, I am so happy for you. I’m really glad you got admitted!! Congrats, man! </p>
<p>I recommend living in Wada. It houses 175 students (mostly transfers…a lot of spring admits including myself too). It’s amazing. It comes full with great views, nice, studious people, it’s relatively cheap, and you’re around people like you (transfers). It’s also known as one of the more academically-oriented places to live i.e. quiet, spacious, etc.</p>
<p>You won’t get a single in Wada; it only houses doubles and triples. I would recommend applying into a double, but the triple rooms are huge.</p>
<p>As for the party atmosphere, I would recommend seeking out a fraternity. I wanted more of a social life, myself…just things to do on the weekends, ya know? Joining my fraternity was one of the best decisions of my college career. We don’t haze, we prioritize academics, and we do a ton of fun things. For example, my fraternity brothers and I drove up to the top of the Berkeley hills at midnight a couple weeks ago (in a ridiculously fast Audi) and just chilled/smoked hookah. You can see all of Berkeley from there. We also grab dinners on occasion, have kickbacks, and exchanges with sororities, which is always great also. If you’re looking for the social life, greek life is your best bet. </p>
<p>Psych is tough…well, stats in psych was tough :p. I took psych stats in CC and was like the wonderboy genius…I came here and I’m barely scraping for an A lol. But on the whole, psych is challenging but not too bad. </p>
<p>As for history, my roommate is a history major. There is a ton of writing and analysis involved, but it’s one of those majors with a high average GPA. You should have no problem getting good grades if you’re a good writer and can read a lot.</p>
<p>3) The people here are really nice. I have yet to meet a mean-spirited person. All my brothers are great, my roommates are chill, the people that live on my floor are nice, kids I meet in class, etc. Now, people here are pretty competitive too… i.e. they’ll brag when they get an A on a test lol, but everyone is really nice. I really mean that.</p>
<p>4) 10. I’m not exaggerating at all. There’s nowhere in the world like Berkeley. I rave about it, but I do because it has met and exceeded my expectations. I’m taught by esteemed (world-renowned) faculty, met great people, am doing research, love the libraries and coffee houses on campus, and tbh, this campus is beautiful. It’s so underrated. Honestly, I came into Cal with really really high expectations, and they were all met in spades.</p>
<p>Hit me up if you have any more questions!</p>
<p>@ nick: haha I’ve often thought that too. Actually, I gave a couple presentations to my old community college recently. They came to UCB, asked great questions, and I just shared what I knew about UCB. They actually ended up adding me on fb and asking me more questions. I love this stuff.</p>
<p>As for money in career/school counseling, there isn’t that much. If you’re really good and do it at a top university, you’re probably looking at no more than 75k. I love helping people out with all of this, but the feasibility of making money doing it is difficult. </p>
<p>That said, I am College Confidential’s pro bono worker lol.</p>
<p>@ xViral: you’re not required to go to school, and you can take a break if you’d like. I actually highly recommend taking a break. I haven’t had one in a long time, and I am sort of burnt out right now…then again, I just finished my finals, so that may be why too. </p>
<p>You can do a lot of things though if you want:</p>
<ul>
<li>Get a job</li>
<li>Berkeley extension</li>
<li>CCC courses</li>
<li>Go to a different UC for a quarter and then switch to UCB…yes, surprisingly this is allowed! lol.</li>
</ul>
<p>Question:
I got accepted as a legal studies major but i want to switch to poly sci. I have completed all the pre reqs for both. Will I be able to change majors before I sign a SIR?</p>
<p>@ jg: I promise you will be able to switch your major (pending your GPA is above a 3.2), but you cannot do that before your SIR.</p>
<p>So if i currently have a 3.74 i can do it right? Is poly sci impacted because I was told Legal Studies is? Is parking easy to get because I live in so-cal and would want to take my car? Also, do u know if the academics are significantly harder than at UCLA?</p>
<p>I chose off-campus when I did the FAFSA. But now I want to apply for the Wada apartments… I want to change it so my fin aid will be higher bc living on-campus is more expensive… is it possible? if it is, can you tell me where to change it?</p>